Gorom-Gorom Market
A Sahel market town in the far north where several peoples trade on Thursdays.
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Gorom-Gorom sits in the Sahel in Burkina Faso's far northeast, and its Thursday market is the trading point where Fulani herders, Tuareg, Songhai, Bella and Mossi farmers meet: livestock on the outskirts, millet, salt slabs, cloth, silver and leather in the middle, and the whole thing dispersing again by the afternoon. It is the classic Sahel market of the region and the day it runs is the day the town exists.
What you actually see
- The Thursday market - the weekly gathering that the town is built around.
- The livestock section - cattle, goats and camels traded on the outskirts.
- The peoples - Fulani, Tuareg, Songhai, Bella and Mossi trading together.
- The salt slabs - the desert salt brought south and sold by the block.
When to go
Thursday is the market day and the only day worth being there. November to February is the cool dry season. March to May is extremely hot.
Honest expectations
On any other day the town is very quiet. Photography of people needs asking and is often refused. The Sahel heat outside the cool months is severe.
Nearby
Oursi is west, and Dori is south.
What to pack for Gorom-Gorom Market
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
